Methods of using worm castings for insect repellency

ABSTRACT

Worm Castings are the feces or excrement from the common red earthworm found in much of the world. Worm castings are produced as a normal part of the worm life cycle when worms are fed a diet of various forms of biodegradable materials such as compost, paper, food waste, and any other organic material, which will degrade. The genus of the most common worm is eisenia foetida. Other earthworms are available and also provide worm castings, which can be used for this invention. These worm castings contain enzymes known as various forms of chitinase of which insects have a strong aversion. When the worm castings are put in a layer, walking insects such as ants won&#39;t cross the layer and ants in nests under the layer will leave the nests to get away from the worm castings. The worm castings also have the ability to activate multiplication of the chitinase-producing bacteria found naturally in plants. The concentration of chitinase must be sufficiently high to repel insects. Testing has shown that the natural level of chitinase found in most plants is not sufficient to repel insects. The level of chitinase is multiplied to a repulsion level with the use of worm castings. Liquid worm castings can be used as a foliar spray to administer a concentration of chitinase topically to the leaves and stems of plants. Liquid worm castings give a temporary repellency effect that can be effective to keep the insects away until the level of natural repellency is increased in the nectar of the plant. Worm castings can also be added to the hydroponic feed liquid for plants to provide sufficient level of chitinase to repel insects.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications 5,633,450 May, 1997 Suslow et al. 435/97 5,554,521 Sept, 1996 Suslow et al. 435/172 5,374,540 Dec, 1994 Suslow et al 435/69 5,290,687 Mar, 1994 Suslow et al 435/69

[0002] This invention covers methods of using worm castings for the purpose of insect repellency using the worm castings as an addition to the soil around plants, soaking the worm castings in water to form a tea or recovering the liquid directly from worm beds and applying this tea to the soil around plants and directly applying the liquid tea to the plant foliage, and adding the worm castings or worm castings tea to hydroponic feed liquid.

GOVERNMENT INTERESTS

[0003] This invention was made with zero government support. No research funds were requested nor supplied by any government agency for the research, which resulted in this invention.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING

[0004] A Sequence Listing is Not Applicable for this Patent Application

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION USING WORM CASTINGS FOR INSECT REPELLENCY

[0005] This patenet application applies to using worm castings in various methods to activate the natural insect repellency produced by the chitinase-producing organisms found naturally in plants. The concentration of chitinase must be sufficiently high to repel insects. Testing has shown that the natural level of chitinase found in most plants is often not sufficient to repel insects. Worm castings can be used to increase the level of chitinase to a repulsion level. Liquid worm castings can be used as a foliar spray to administer a concentration of chitinase topically to the leaves and stems of plants. Liquid worm castings give a temporary repellency effect that can be effective to keep the insects away until the level of natural repellency is increased in the nectar of the plant. Worm castings can be added to soil to repel walking insects such as ants and including red fire ants. Worm castings can also be added to the hydroponic feed liquid for plants to increase natural level of chitinase production and possible other natural element to repel insects.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0006] This invention covers a novel use for worm castings for insect repellency. Worm castings have been known as being very beneficial to promote plant growth for more than 100 years but has NOT been know to be effective for insect pest repellency applications. This application arose from observing that growth test plots with worm castings had virtually no insect infestation.

[0007] Academic research, by others, has revealed that one natural insect repellant is any chitinase enzymes. (Natural chitinase enzymes can be produced by bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes). The level of the chitinase enzyme for effective repellency is in the range of 1 million cfu/gdw (Colony Forming Units/ gram dry weight). Worm castings were submitted for tests to determine the level of the chitinase enzyme production. The tests showed a concentrations of chitinase in the range of 54 million CFU/gdw. This is concentration is over 50 times the estimated level for repellency. The chitinase-producing organisms in the worm castings consisted of five bacteria, four fungi, and five actinomycetes

[0008] It was observed that ants refuse to cross a layer of worm castings. When a layer of worm castings is put around a tree or bush the reaction of the ants is immediate. Ants in the tree or bush congregate in an agitated manner just above the border of the worm castings. The row of ants coming to the tree start onto the layer of worm castings but quickly turn around and walk to the perimeter of the layer. The ants then follow the perimeter around until they meet with the advancing row of ants then go back to the nest. This line of ants following around the layer of worm castings may continue for as long as three days then stop. Soil that ants will easily cross tested at less than 1 million CFU/gdw. This supportss that ants can detect and are averse to a level of chitinase somewhere between 1 and 54 million CFU/gdw.

[0009] Testing to determine the exact level of chitinase for detection and aversion by a bug has not been definitively determined. Testing was done on many plants to determine if worm castings are able to change the level of chitinase in the leaves of plants. Hibiscus leaves that had not been treated with worm castings and which were covered in white fly cocoons were tested for chitinase at 300,000 CFU/gdw. White fly infested hibiscus plants were treated with worm castings. Worm castings were applied in a ½ inch layer from the stems to the drip line. In about two months all white fly residue and cocoons were gone. White flies from neighboring plants, which had not been treated, would fly around the treated leaves but not land on these leaves. The leaves from the treated hibiscus were tested for chitinase four months after the initial application of worm castings. This test revealed that the level of chitinase producing organisms had increased to 670 million CFU/gdw. The chitinase producing organisms found in the leaves were two bacteria that were not any of the five found in the worm castings. This indicates that some trigger element in the worm castings activates multiplication of the organisms, which produce the enzyme chitinase. Tests performed by others such as Suslow showed a systemic entrance of the chitinase-producing organisms when these were applied onto the soil around the plants. Suslow did not test the use of worm castings.

[0010] Red fire ants are particularly averse to an application of worm castings. Testing has shown that red fire ants will abandon their nests within 24 hours with a ¼ inch application over and around the nest mound.

[0011] Other plants have been tested to see if the use of worm castings is effective to repel spider mites, aphids, bark beetles, psylids, and other bugs. Effective repellency has been seen in many plants and against various insects. Spider mites will leave in about two weeks. Aphids will leave in about six weeks. Bark beetles will leave trees after several months. The time period for the bugs to leave a plant appears dependent on the size of the plant.

[0012] Liquid worm castings have been sprayed onto the leaves of plants infested by various bugs. The evidence indicates that this provides a temporary repellency for a variety of bugs. This would be expected since the liquid worm castings has a level of chitinase producing organisms similar to the level found in the granular form of worm castings.

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS

[0013] Worm castings could potentially be used to repel a wide variety of insects. Testing must be performed for verification but the same principle effectiveness seen when worm castings have been used to repel the pest insects such as white flies, aphids, bark beetles, and spider mites should also work to repel other pest bugs. Some of the possible bugs that will be repelled by the worm castings are psylids, fruit flies, mealy bugs, and any insect that crawls or flies onto the leaves and stems of plants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The present invention deals with using worm castings as an insect repellent as a layer on the ground for walking insects, incorporated into the soil feeding plants for pest insects, incorporated into the feeding liquid for hydroponic growing, and as liquid worm castings sprayed onto the leaves of plants for a topical treatment. The worm castings can be used on soil, turf, or in hydroponic applications.

[0015] Ants leave their nests within 24 hours and do not return for some period of time. The exact length of time for abandonment must be tested and will no doubt be dependent on other environmental conditions. Ants won't cross a layer of worm castings for about two weeks then will gingerly begin to cross. If the top layer of the worm castings is raked, then the ants will again refuse to cross. Using worm castings in all soil areas around a home appears to repel the ants for many months. The exact time will need to be tested and will no doubt be dependent on other environmental conditions. The repellency effect for pest insects takes a period of time to begin, once the level of chitinase has been increased to repellency level, the bugs leave the plant. The time period for effectiveness is at least six months. The exact time period will need to be tested and will be dependent on other environmental conditions.

APPLICATIONS

[0016] Worm Castings can be used to provide a barrier for walking insects should be put down in a layer about ¼ inch thick. Other components, such as leaves, which provide bridging elements should be kept off the layer.

[0017] Research by Ohio State University testing for the recommended application rate of worm castings for highest growth improvement recommended a 10%-20% mix. The rule given by Ohio State University to achieve these percentages was that a ½ inch layer worked into the soil will provide a 10% ratio and a 1-inch layer worked into the soil will provide a 20% ratio. Testing by applicant has shown that these application rates have been effective for repellency of insects for smaller plants and bushes up to 10 feet tall. The application rate for full grown trees and other plants will need to be tested.

ADVANTAGES OF INVENTION

[0018] Using worm castings to repel various insects has many advantages. Worm castings are non-toxic so provide a non-poisonous alternative to chemical pest treatments. The non-toxic nature of worm castings means the use should not harm other valuable organisms found in soil. The fact that worm castings are a natural element found in healthy soil indicates that harmful side effects should be limited. The elements found naturally in worm castings, which appear to be the active elements to repel insects, are living organisms. This means that the repellency could be provided for a longer time period unless the organisms are killed from a different source.

[0019] Worm castings are produced by feeding worms various forms of waste bio-mass. This provides the advantage that worm castings do not require the consumption of valuable natural resources. The production instead consumes waste materials.

[0020] Worm castings can be supplied in the natural granular form, pelletized for time release, and liquefied.

[0021] This patent application is that worm castings are an effective means for insect repellency.

[0022] Method Patent: 

1. This patent is a method patent and a new use for an existing product. Worm Castings are called by several other names; vermi-compost, vermi-castings, worm droppings, worm manure and others. All of these terms refer to the same material. Liquid worm castings are produced by soaking worm castings in water for at least 24 hours then removing the liquid. Liquid worm castings are also the liquid that is drains from worm beds during the process when the worms consume their feed. Liquid worm castings are also called worm tea, worm castings tea, vermi-tea, and other names used to describe this liquid. Walking Insects: The patent applicant describes that worm castings possess distinct properties, which makes them effective for use as an insect repellent. Testing strongly indicates that the element in worm castings that acts as the repellent is the enzyme chitinase. The relationship between chitinase and insect repellency has been shown by numerous research studies but none have related the chitinase in worm castings to insect repellency. Walking insects such as ants have an immediate strong aversion to worm castings and will not cross a layer set in their path. Ants will follow the perimeter of the layer of worm castings to avoid walking onto them. The aversion of the ants to the worm castings also means that a layer of worm castings put on the soil over nests and burrows of ant will prompt these ants to abandon the nests to go elsewhere. This means a layer of worm castings can be used as a barrier to prevent ants from entering areas such as homes or gardens and that a layer of worm castings can be used to initiate a rapid move away from existing nests to get away from the worm castings. The aversion effect is seen in the common argentine ant, the red fire ant, and is expected to be seen in other ants. The aversion should also be seen with any other insect which did not have an ability to fly and would need to walk over the surface of the worm castings. Nectar Sucking Insects: We have also found that worm castings can be used effectively to repel insects that feed on the internal liquid or nectar of various plants. These include a large array of insect pests including white fly, aphids, spider mites, fruit flies, and other nectar-sucking insects. When worm castings are put into the soil of the plant feeding area (stem to drip line), the evidence indicates that the worm castings activate an increase in the internal concentration of chitinase. The level of chitinase in the nectar of leaves before treatment with worm castings is low. When the chitinase concentration is low, insects are not repelled. The increase in the chitinase level on small plants to a level sufficient to repel small insects occurs in a few weeks. The increase in the level of chitinase in large plants sufficient to repel the insects takes longer. The time to increase the level of chitinase in a large plant such as a full grown hibiscus can take several months and trees will take longer. The pollination nectar and pollen do not appear to get an increased level of chitinase producing organims with the use of worm castings. 